What is "maize"

Corn \Corn\, n. [AS. corn; akin to OS. korn, D. koren, G., Dan., Sw., & Icel. korn, Goth. ka['u]rn, L. granum, Russ. zerno. Cf. Grain, Kernel.]

1. A single seed of certain plants, as wheat, rye, barley, and maize; a grain.

2. The various farinaceous grains of the cereal grasses used for food, as wheat, rye, barley, maize, oats.

   Note: In Scotland, corn is generally restricted to oats, in the United States, to maize, or Indian corn (see sense 3), and in England to wheat.

3. a tall cereal plant ( Zea mays) bearing its seeds as large kernels in multiple rows on the surface of a hard cylindrical ear, the core of which (the cob) is not edible; -- also called Indian corn and, in technical literature, maize. There are several kinds; as, yellow corn, which grows chiefly in the Northern States, and is yellow when ripe; white corn or southern corn, which grows to a great height, and has long white kernels; sweet corn, comprising a number of sweet and tender varieties, grown chiefly at the North, some of which have kernels that wrinkle when ripe and dry; pop corn, any small variety, used for popping. Corn seeds may be cooked while on the ear and eaten directly, or may be stripped from the ear and cooked subsequently. The term Indian corn is often used to refer to a primitive type of corn having kernels of varied color borne on the same cob; it is used for decoration, especially in the fall.

4. The plants which produce corn, when growing in the field; the stalks and ears, or the stalks, ears, and seeds, after reaping and before thrashing.

   In one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail had thrashed the corn.
   --Milton.

5. A small, hard particle; a grain. ``Corn of sand.'' --Bp. Hall. ``A corn of powder.'' --Beau. & Fl. Corn ball, a ball of popped corn stuck together with soft candy from molasses or sugar. Corn bread, bread made of Indian meal. Corn cake, a kind of corn bread; johnny cake; hoecake. Corn cockle (Bot.), a weed ( Agrostemma Githago syn. Lychnis Githago), having bright flowers, common in grain fields. Corn flag (Bot.), a plant of the genus Gladiolus; -- called also sword lily. Corn fly. (Zo["o]l.)

   1. A small fly which, in the larval state, is injurious to grain, living in the stalk, and causing the disease called ``gout,'' on account of the swelled joints. The common European species is Chlorops t[ae]niopus.

   2. A small fly ( Anthomyia ze) whose larva or maggot destroys seed corn after it has been planted. Corn fritter, a fritter having green Indian corn mixed through its batter. [U. S.] Corn laws, laws regulating trade in corn, especially those in force in Great Britain till 1846, prohibiting the importation of foreign grain for home consumption, except when the price rose above a certain rate. Corn marigold. (Bot.) See under Marigold. Corn oyster, a fritter containing grated green Indian corn and butter, the combined taste resembling that of oysters. Corn parsley (Bot.), a plant of the parsley genus ( Petroselinum segetum), a weed in parts of Europe and Asia. Corn popper, a utensil used in popping corn. Corn poppy (Bot.), the red poppy ( Papaver Rh[oe]as), common in European cornfields; -- also called corn rose. Corn rent, rent paid in corn. Corn rose. See Corn poppy. Corn salad (Bot.), a name given to several species of Valerianella, annual herbs sometimes used for salad. Valerianella olitoria is also called lamb's lettuce. Corn stone, red limestone. [Prov. Eng.] Corn violet (Bot.), a species of Campanula. Corn weevil. (Zo["o]l.)

      1. A small weevil which causes great injury to grain.

      2. In America, a weevil ( Sphenophorus ze[ae]) which attacks the stalk of maize near the root, often doing great damage. See Grain weevil, under Weevil.

1550s, from Cuban Spanish maiz, from Arawakan (Haiti) mahiz.

n. corn; a type of grain of the species ''Zea mays''.

1. n. tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times [syn: corn, Indian corn, Zea mays]

2. a strong yellow color [syn: gamboge, lemon, lemon yellow]

Maize is the first studio album by the American band Pushmonkey, first released in 1994 (see 1994 in music). It was remastered and reissued in 2002 by Trespass Records with a bonus live track.

The color maize or corn refers to a shade of yellow; it is named for the cereal of the same name— maize (the cereal maize is called corn in the Americas). In public usage, maize can be applied to a variety of shades, ranging from light yellow to a dark shade that borders on orange, since the color of maize may vary.

The first recorded use of maize as a color name in English was in 1861.

Maize is a plant cultivated for food.

Maize may also refer to:

• Maize (album), by Pushmonkey
• Maize (color), a shade of yellow, named for the cereal of the same name
• Maize, Kansas, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States

Maize ( ; Zea mays subsp. mays, from after Taíno mahiz), also known as corn, is a large grain plant first domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The six major types of corn are dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn, and sweet corn.

The leafy stalk of the plant produces separate pollen and ovuliferous inflorescences or ears, which are fruits, yielding kernels (often erroneously called seeds). Maize kernels are often used in cooking as a starch.